Culture & Traditions

Mexican Arts & Crafts

There are many ways of getting to know a country, its people, its customs and traditions. One is traveling the country from North to South and from East to West. Another is studying what has been written about it. And another is observing its daily life, talking with the people, investigating its customs.

Art is one of the fundamental elements of a people’s temperament; it is a faithful reflection of their relationship to the world and their way of looking at life.

A visit to Mexico is marked by the colorfulness found in the streets, the homes, and the utensils, an example of the joy every Mexican emanates, of his imagination, his skill in producing the most wonderful works, and in particular, his ability to create fantasies.

Crafts are a people’s imagination, dexterity and dreams, expressed in an article that brings together the past and the present. The fact is that in practically all areas of life in Mexico there is a fascinating mixture of the native and the contemporary.

A large number of the crafts that are produced today come from pre-Hispanic times, and many of them are still made with the same techniques that were used hundreds of years ago!

Mata Ortiz Pottery

In those times, the art of the people was basically religious.

Works were created to be used in ceremonies. The adoration of gods inspired the creation of masks, paintings and drawings, ritual objects such as bowls, incense holders, ceremonial robes…

On the other hand, trade between the different towns was very important because objects had to be made that served as merchandise.

The conquered peoples also had to pay, so they produced luxury articles, ceramic, precious fabrics, and objects made with feathers.